Tadcaster well-beaten by Boro

Tadcaster Albion suffered a Boxing Day to forget, losing out 3-0 to North Yorkshire rivals Scarborough Athletic at the Flamingo Land Stadium.
Pete Davidson gets on the ball during Tadcaster Albion's Boxing Day defeat to Scarborough Athletic. Picture: Morgan ExleyPete Davidson gets on the ball during Tadcaster Albion's Boxing Day defeat to Scarborough Athletic. Picture: Morgan Exley
Pete Davidson gets on the ball during Tadcaster Albion's Boxing Day defeat to Scarborough Athletic. Picture: Morgan Exley

Michael Morton and Simon Collins’ men never really got going and were well-beaten in the end, however things could perhaps have ended very differently had they not squandered two gilt-edged chances to pull level with the score at 1-0.

Aiden Savory missed a glorious opportunity just moments after the hosts had taken a 16th-minute lead, while Josh Greening was also off target when afforded a clear sight of goal shortly before Boro went 2-0 up.

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The opening exchanges of Tuesday’s clash were fairly even, although Taddy gloveman Michael Ingham was at full-stretch to claw James Cadman’s looping effort out of the top corner with just four minutes on the clock.

At the other end, Conor Sellars curled a 20-yard free-kick narrowly over the Scarborough bar before the home team came again and Nathan Valentine headed into the arms of Ingham.

The former Northern Ireland international goalkeeper was then pressed into action once more shortly afterwards, but couldn’t hold on to Max Wright’s low 16th-minute strike from the edge of the box.

His parry pushed the ball into the path of Michael Coulson who reacted quickly to force home the opening goal of a chilly afternoon.

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Clearly stung by falling behind, the Brewers responded well and should have been level barely 60 seconds after conceding.

Tom Corner did the hard work, picking out strike partner Aiden Savory just six yards out, but the Albion hitman sent the ball high over the crossbar when it actually looked easier to score.

As the half progressed, Scarborough began to enjoy more possession and came close to doubling their lead when Couslon’s close-range effort was blocked, and with Ingham floored, Josh Barrett was forced to slide in and clear the danger as the loose ball trickles towards the goal-line.

Albion finished the half with a brief spell of pressure, forcing a couple of corners, but went into the interval a goal down.

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A bright start was required to the second period, and although the Tadcaster players hardly came racing out of the blocks, they did manage to forge another good chance to restore parity.

A long ball into the channel was expertly nodded on by Corner and into the path of Greening, close to the penalty spot.

With the ball bouncing awkwardly, the Brewers winger managed to lift it over the advancing Athletic goalkeeper Tom Taylor, but the ball landed on the roof of the net.

A couple of minutes later and Taddy were punished for their profligacy when the home team went 2-0 in front.

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Dave Merris got forward from defence, doing brilliantly down the left flank to cut inside and deliver a low cross into the six-yard box where Nathan Valentine couldn’t fail to convert.

Although there were more than 35 minutes remaining, in truth, Boro’s second goal killed the game as a contest.

The Brewers never really threatened to mount any kind of a comeback, despite the introduction of Adam Baker and Joseph Pugh from the substitutes’ bench.

Indeed, it was the Seadogs who looked the more likely in the final third and they put the result beyond any doubt with 73 minutes gone.

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Striker James Walshaw spun marker Chris Howarth and fired across goal from the left side of the penalty area, the ball taking a big deflection off Andy Milne on its way past Ingham and into the back of the net.

Defeat for the Brewers leaves them 14th in Evo-Stik Division One North ahead of Saturday’s trip to high-flying Prescot Cables.